Multi-location websites are websites that are created and optimized to target more than one service area of location. For instance, multi-location websites are very common with chains and franchises that operate numerous locations across the country or around the world.
Multi-location websites are extremely beneficial to any business that has more than a single physical location or service area. With the proper optimization and EEAT (experience, expertise, authority, and trust) a multi-location brand can use their website to reach a much wider target audience. Having a website that is optimized for each of your service locations will also help Google to understand your relevancy in these service areas.
For example, if you have an apparel store that sells women’s and men’s clothes, you can achieve a multi-location website that allows people to order from all over the world. The site would be set up to scrutinize like it is established in one country but has stores in different countries where you dispatch your products. This way, when someone purchases something online, they won’t have to pay taxes if exported from another country.
The benefits of running a multi-location website contain better customer service for international customers and the ability to get repeat orders from customers who live far away from your location.
Multi-location websites can be used for many reasons:
- To increase revenue by presenting products and services only available on distinct sites. For example, a company might offer bargains on products or services within a respective country spot but not in others.
- To attract buyers from beyond the area where you have your core business. For instance, if you have a local bakery selling cakes and cookies, you may grow your business by unfolding a new site that sells those same types of desserts in other territories of the country or even the world.
What are the benefits of multi-location websites?
One major benefit of multi-location websites is that they can help your business to expand. When someone visits a website from their home or workplace, there is a much more elevated chance that they will return for future purchases than if they saw the site from another location. This signifies that you can use multi-location websites to target specific markets and attract new customers who might need to be noticed.
Another usefulness of having multiple websites is that it allows for better SEO rankings and traffic for your business’s pages. Google utilizes page rankings when deciding where to put a page in search results, so having multiple websites means that each page has more chances of showing up in search results – which means higher traffic and greater rankings for your site!
What problems are encountered using multi-location websites?
A multi-location website’s main weakness is that it might be challenging to preserve the trail of all locations. Hence, you should ensure that your site is configured perfectly for your client. Your consumers will labor to locate their site if you have many places, and they should be accurately put up.
The cost of construction is a separate issue with multi-location websites. This is important since they have to manage all the various sites and ensure everything functions rightly. Moreover, if you want to materialize a multi-location website with many different languages, the outlay can also go up.
Another area for improvement is that it can be challenging to track where everything is stowed and what information each place offers if you have a mobile app or any eCommerce website. So it makes sense to have a single central database where everything can be safely stored, and any transformations can be revised across all establishments because there are so many chances for this to go amiss.
Duplication of resources and data is the most recurring issue while utilizing a multi-location website. For instance, you might sell twice or twice as much at a higher price per sale if you have two locations providing the exact good or service at diverse prices. Costs and earnings will increase for both sites as a consequence of this. On the other side, if one of these places is situated in a different region from the other, it can cost more to move goods between them, which could result in an additional issue with higher shipping costs.
Another concern that can transpire when using a multi-location website is chasing errors due to different sales tax rates across all your spots (or even within each). To sidestep this issue, ensure that all your sales taxes are calculated and founded on where they will be collected.
There is invariably a gamble of hackers bombarding your system and burglarizing your data when you have numerous locations. To avoid this, you should have protection criteria arranged at all your locations so that no one can access your computer without authorization from someone in charge.
The integration of the different websites is a noteworthy problem. The user must course through the various websites for any information or purchase. This can be time-consuming and may also need clarification for the user.
Multi-location websites must be responsive to adjust to various devices and screen sizes. This is especially important for mobile-friendly websites as many individuals access webpages on their phones and tablets. If your website isn’t mobile-friendly, you may lose business from shoppers who use these devices.
If you desire to expand your business, you must discover a manner to add better servers or storage space without any downtime or consequence on your website’s performance. Nevertheless, if you cannot climb fast, this could mean a loss in earnings, which can slow down your growth plan as a company.
